Diri Urges Striking NDU Lecturers To Resume, Promises Concessions

Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has extended a conciliatory gesture to striking lecturers of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), expressing the government’s willingness to make concessions to enhance their welfare.

Governor Diri urged the NDU chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end their industrial action, which began on December 10.

Speaking during the 148th state executive council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa, upon his return from annual leave, the governor appealed to the lecturers to embrace dialogue for the sake of the students.

In a statement yesterday by the chief press secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri stressed that his administration holds lecturers in high esteem and was willing to listen to their demands.

“Let me call on ASUU that strikes should be the last resort and I invite them to come back to negotiation. The issues can be amicably resolved.

“Government is willing to ensure that the welfare of lecturers and of our workers is prioritised. Let us look at the future of our children and the younger ones. We hold lecturers in high esteem in this state,” he said.

The governor also spoke on the recalcitrance of cattle herders that flout the state’s law against open grazing, warning that the ban was still in force.

He directed the relevant government officials to ensure that the anti-open grazing law was complied with.

He also tasked community leaders to work with state officials to ensure that the law was implemented to the fullest.

Diri said the state could not afford a situation where farmlands were destroyed by herders, adding that Bayelsa was open to all for business, but the laws protecting all residents of the state must be obeyed.

The state’s helmsman also cautioned residents of the state against bush burning, saying there were better ways of farming that do not harm the people and the environment.

“We banned open grazing in this state in 2022 and it remains banned. It is a crime for any herder to destroy any farm.

“All relevant agencies are hereby directed that no herder should be allowed into our bushes. By our laws, no herder has the authority to destroy our farmlands. I call on our brothers from the north to know that in Bayelsa State you cannot do open grazing.

“All community leaders are hereby called upon to ensure that within their domain, no cattle herder is found involved in open grazing. Our laws against open grazing must be implemented to the fullest.

“Hon. Commissioner for Information, educate our people that bush burning is not an option. Let me call on our people to stop bush burning.”